Table 3.
Themes emerged from the thematic analysis of patients’ postcard
| Theme | Description | Tellingly quotes from postcards |
|---|---|---|
| Proximity | The patient suitcase creates a notion of proximity. Patients experience that therapists are “with them” in their homes during telemedicine sessions, which provide reassurance. It also created space to train under safe conditions and confidence to do the exercises. | “It is comforting to come home and have help by my side. All three weeks.” (Patient No. 27). |
| “When the COPD suitcase was removed there was a void not to have to be ready at a given time.” (Patient No. 24). | ||
| “It was a big help that she (the therapist) could see the exercises being done correctly.” (Patient No. 44). | ||
| Access | The patient suitcase provides easy access to the supervised training and, in some cases, is the only way to get training. The intervention provides support to get started with being physically active, which for some patients is maintained after completing the intervention. | “It was a good help to get started because when you are just sitting down by yourself, you will not get anything done. Especially when you can’t really get started after you have come home. So it’s smart to switch on the suitcase and get exercising.” (Patient No. 37) |
| “I got more done when the therapist was there than when I was left alone with the exercises.” (Patient No. 29) | ||
| “I got training and the desire to train. Without the suitcase I was unable to start. I got the motivation to train and use my body and I was also able to take the initiative to do it myself.” (Patient No. 46) | ||
| Effect | Training and counselling via the patient suitcase is experienced to improve physical and mental capacity. Experiencing that exercise helps adhere to treatment which has a positive effect on health. | “It gave me renewed strength to start using my Flutter* 3 x a day some days more and to do some exercises. And now I’ve got more air.” (Patient No. 31). |
| “With training and counselling through the patient suitcase I have experienced that my general health has improved, I have more energy and on the days when my” breathing “is bad, it helps to train. It’s like something is “released” and I have extra space around the lungs and they are given more space/room for air.” (Patient No. 50). |
*Flutter: Mucus clearance device - a positive expiratory pressure (PEP) device.